Information bulletin n° 3 GLIDE n° FL-2010-000122-CHN China: Floods 21 July 2010

This bulletin reflects the current situation and details available at this time. The Red Cross Society of China welcomes direct cash assistance to provide support to the affected population The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) can also receive cash contributions on behalf of the Red Cross Society of China through its annual support plan from donors for this operation.

Continuing rainstorms and floods across southern China have left 701 people dead and 347 missing in 27 provinces and municipalities to date, mostly along the River. The Red Cross Society of China supports affected Latest official figures released indicate that over communities in province, one of the areas hardest 110 million people are affected, of which hit, through relief distributions. Photo: RCSC approximately 8.06 million had to be forcibly relocated, with 645,000 homes destroyed since 1 July 2010.

The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) continues to support emergency relief operations in the affected areas. By 20 July, RCSC headquarters had increased their assistance up to CNY12 million (CHF 1.85 million) in cash and kind to the affected communities.

An RCSC assessment team composed of experienced disaster responders and two IFRC disaster management staff were deployed on 21 July to assess the needs of the affected populations in Hubei province.

The situation Since the last information bulletin released on 16 July1, the floods situation across the country has rapidly deteriorated. Continued torrential rains and storms caused massive flooding that is now affecting up to 110 million people in 27 provinces and municipalities (out of the total 31, representing nearly 87 per cent of all provinces and municipalities). According to the latest official figures released by the Chinese government, since the beginning of 2010, a total of 701 people have died and 347 people are missing due to floods in the country. In the recent floods, of 110 million people affected, approximately 8.06 million people were forcibly relocated from the flooded areas to other areas, and approximately seven million hectares of farmland have been inundated by water and destroyed. Some 654,000 homes have been destroyed, rendering millions of people homeless. The government estimates that the floods have caused CNY 142.2 billion (USD 20.88 billion) in direct economic losses, with the figures rising.

1 Click here for the China: Floods, Information Bulletin no. 2 2

These floods are considered the worst in a decade, but for some areas along the Yangtze River this is the worst flooding in 30 years. Days of torrential rains have raised water levels in many tribunaries of Yangtze to record levels and the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River had recently buffered the worst of the floods, blocking more than 40 percent of the water.

The floods, the worst on record in the usually dry region in western China, caused landslides across the region. Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in Shaanxi province (northwest China) have left at least 41 people dead, 107 others missing and 1.66 million people affected by 20 July. Precipitation is reported to have reached 330 mm in the worst-hit area in the province, a record since 1953.

Meanwhile, the floods in Guang'an in southwest China's province, has affected up to 250,000 people, some of whom are still recovering from the massive earthquake that hit the area in 2008.

More rain and flooding is expected to hit the country in the near future, with typhoon season already arriving.

According to weather forecasts, severe tropical storm Chanthu is expected to make landfall in south China's and Hainan provinces on 22 July. Chanthu is the third tropical storm since the beginning of this year and it is expected to strengthen within the next 24 hours. The local governments have issued alerts and warnings, with people in the affected areas advised to take precautionary measures such as shutting their windows and reducing outdoor activities.

The government has mounted massive relief efforts to help the affected communities and mitigate the worst effects of floods in the flooded areas. Some 287,000 military personnel have been mobilized for rescue work. The rescue efforts are conducted under difficult conditions. For instance, amid relief efforts in province, on 20 July, two relief workers were killed and more than ten injured when lightning struck while they were standing atop a dike at Poyang Lake assisting in flood control efforts.

Red Cross Red Crescent action Since May, the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has been carrying out relief work in the affected provinces. Materials mobilized to date include tents, quilts, padded coats, jackets, family packs, mosquito nets and disinfectants and these much needed relief items were able to reach the hands of the most affected areas despite poor transportation conditions due to heavy rains and flooding.

By 20 July, RCSC headquarters has provided assistance up to CNY12 million (CHF 1.85 million) in cash and kind to the affected areas. Local Red Cross branches, including those in , Hubei, , and , have been distributing relief materials from their prepositioned stocks as per local needs. RCSC mobilized relief items and funds from headquarters and The RCSC has deployed an assessment team its branches to support communities affected by the floods, to Hubei, one of the most affected provinces, on including in Guizhou province. Photo: RCSC 21 July. The assessment team is led by the secretary general of the RCSC and is joined by the regional disaster management coordinator and regional disaster management officer from the IFRC East Asia regional office. The RCSC‘s national appeal is ongoing in preparation for further relief action.

At this moment, RCSC has not sought an international appeal, but welcomes cash contributions from partners to support RCSC’s effort on the floods’ response and recovery. IFRC can also receive donations on behalf of the RCSC through its annual support plan in China. Please click here for IFRC’s latest programme update available for details.

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How we work All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) in Disaster Relief and the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (Sphere) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.

The IFRC’s vision is to inspire, encourage, The IFRC’s work is guided by Strategy 2020 which puts facilitate and promote at all times all forms of forward three strategic aims: humanitarian activities by National Societies, with 1. Save lives, protect livelihoods, and strengthen a view to preventing and alleviating human recovery from disaster and crises. suffering, and thereby contributing to the 2. Enable healthy and safe living. maintenance and promotion of human dignity and 3. Promote social inclusion and a culture of non- peace in the world. violence and peace.

Contact information For further information specifically related to this operation please contact: • Red Cross Society of China: Mr. Wang Xiaohua, director of external relations department; email: [email protected]; phone: +86.10.6404.8366, fax +86.10.6402.9928. • IFRC East Asia regional office in Beijing: phone: +86 10 65327162, fax: +86 10 65327166 − Ms Nicolle LaFleur, acting head of office and regional programme coordinator, email: [email protected] − Mr Qinghui Gu, disaster management coordinator; email: [email protected]; mobile: +86.13.9109.59834 − Mr Francis Markus, communications delegate; email : [email protected]; mobile: +86.13.9100.96892

• IFRC Asia Pacific zone office in Kuala Lumpur: phone: + 60 3 92-7 5700, fax: +60 3 2161 0670 − Mr Heikki Väätämöinen, operations coordinator, [email protected]; mobile: +60 12 230 7895 − Mr Patrick Fuller, acting zone communications manager; email: [email protected]; mobile: +6012 230 8451

Information bulletin n° 2 FL-2010-000122-CHN 16 July 2010 China: Floods

Jiangsu

Anhui Hubei

Sichuan China Chongqing Zhejiang

Worst affected provinces IndiaIndia Guizhou

Yunnan

Myanmar (China) Viet Nam 0400200 Lao People’s Democratic Republic km

The maps used do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or National Societies concerning the legal status of a territory or of its authorities. Map data sources: ESRI, DEVINFO, International Federation, IB160710.mxd